Lawyer says 'Jewish terrorist' tied to chair
Haim Pearlman's defense counsel meets with his client for first time since arrest, says detainee treated brutally by investigators. 'They cuffed his hands and legs for 16 hours and told him his wife was working as a call girl,' he claims
Attorney Sharon Nahari, who was allowed to meet with the man dubbed "Jewish terrorist" for the first time Friday, said his client was deprived of sleep and tied to a chair.
The meetings were held at a detention center in Petah Tikva, where the two men are being held. The lawyers were allowed to meet with their clients face-to-face for about half an hour.
"I was surprised to hear about the physical and mental abuse Pearlman is going through, which is reminiscent of dark regimes," Attorney Nahari told Ynet. "I was amazed to hear from my client that he was tied to a chair with his hands and legs cuffed for 16 hours a day, while three investigators treat him brutally and scream at him, depriving him of sleep."
According to the lawyer, Pearlman is questioned every day until midnight. "This is only part of the torture he is going through, and we will appeal the court on this matter."
Ynet has also learned that Pearlman told his lawyer that Shin Bet and police investigators took his personal diaries while raiding his home. He said they also threatened to tell his wife that he had written in his dairy that he was gay.
Shin Bet: Part of mud slinging campaign
Nahari said the investigators told Pearlman that his wife was working as a call girl in a bid to extract a false admission from him.
He added that Pearlman was "maintaining his right to remain silent and will continue to maintain it in light of the behavior of the Shin Bet and the investigators and in light of the fact that he has already given his version to the Shin Bet on several occasions."
The Shin Bet responded to the accusations by saying that Pearlman's investigation "is being held according to all rules and procedures and under the supervision of the court. As part of these procedures, the interrogees are asked about their condition and have not raised any claims regarding alleged abuse, as the ones being voiced by their lawyers at this time.
"This is another stage in the mud slinging campaign against the General Security Service since the suspects' arrests."
According to Sitbon's attorney, the interrogators were mainly interested in his client's relationship with Pearlman. Sitbon told them he met Pearlman at the age of 14, saying they attended the same rallies, adding that he had no knowledge of the crimes attributed to Pearlman.
During his interrogation, Sitbon recalled an incident that took place 14 years ago in Jerusalem's Shmuel Hanavi neighborhood, during which, according to Sitbon, Pearlman threw a stun grenade in a soccer field.
Hanan Greenberg contributed to this report
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